Change Community Layout

[emanuele]

To get back on topic, I also feel that the boards here can be a bit overwhelming, especially to those that are new to the community forum thing.

And you don't even have access to the team boards!! That's overwhelming!!!

I do think moving the support boards further up than bug reports will help, though. Though I'd argue the news area needs to stay at the top.

Don't touch my Bug Reports over there!!
Less scroll for me is good!

[Arantor]

I have seen the team boards, I did at the time go back and read every topic since 2003 (there were 105 pages then!), yes, that's overwhelming.

As far as moving bug reports goes, if it's moved as suggested, you might have to scroll more to get to it (or bookmark it!) but you'll have more real bugs and less not-really-bugs in there to deal with...

[MrPhil]

Just to rattle the cage a bit...

The problem seems to be getting worse. Site Comments and Feedback/Discussion seem to have become the dumping ground for every noob's questions. There are more "Moved to x.x Support" topics than real posts!* SMF needs to reorganize its boards!!!! Stop being lazy, guys, and move Support up right after News. This is a matter of proper organization and human factors. It should be obvious that the current layout and forum size is overwhelming many users.

* and please, a mod/feature to evaporate "Moved to" topics after 7 days (default time).

There was mention earlier that practically every topic involves a post asking what SMF version and mods. Why not make (and use) a mod that requires entry of the SMF version and mods? Or at least, new topics are partly pre-filled with a template asking for the needed information? The template could vary by board (and language). E.g., Site Comments wouldn't need such information.

I still think that child boards for certain common problems (spam, undefined indexes, etc.) would be useful organization, so that overwhelmed noobs won't feel desperate and drop their new topic in any old place. Certainly, if I were running this forum that's what I'd do.

[Arantor]

There was mention earlier that practically every topic involves a post asking what SMF version and mods. Why not make (and use) a mod that requires entry of the SMF version and mods?

Back in the mists of time something like this was put in place. The problem is that users put the bare minimum in to be able to get through the form.

I still think that child boards for certain common problems (spam, undefined indexes, etc.) would be useful organization,

You'd still have a lot of people posting things in the wrong place anyway. The solution, simply, is fewer boards, not different boards.

[MovedGoalPosts]

Automated removal of moved to topics is essential.

I like the idea I've seen over on Simple Portal's site that extra field are added in the user's profile so they can at least state the forum and portal version.  Might be possible to do something in that vein here?  Although clearly defining the board into SMF 1 and 2 sections would alleviate a lot of that.

Noobs will always have problems with where to post, since they have the least understanding of what might be causing their problem. 

[Arantor]

Automated removal of moved to topics is essential.

And there's even a mod for it. It might need some work since I gave it away but it certainly works.

I like the idea I've seen over on Simple Portal's site that extra field are added in the user's profile so they can at least state the forum and portal version.  Might be possible to do something in that vein here?

It's been done here. It didn't work, so it was removed. Part of the problem is that people don't go back and update it after upgrades.

Some people, for example, use their signatures for the same thing - and that's just as inaccurate and for the same reason.

[Kindred]

users are lazy...   they will either put the minimum details needed to finish the form - or, even worse, just make the first selection from the lists - which may be (will be) incorrect, and finally, as Arantor points out, they don't update the data when they update their system.

On the subject of evaporating moved notices...  it's built into 2.1.   Not sure if it's worth the bother to back port it.

[Arantor]

On the subject of evaporating moved notices...  it's built into 2.1.   Not sure if it's worth the bother to back port it.

Then install the mod I wrote nearly 3 years ago to do the job in the interim then

they will either put the minimum details needed to finish the form - or, even worse, just make the first selection from the lists - which may be (will be) incorrect, and finally, as Arantor points out, they don't update the data when they update their system.

I would point out, again, that this is not speculation on our part. This was done here on this site some time ago; I read about it when trawling through the entirety of the team boards back when I was on the team, and it was rather short lived for these exact reasons.

[青山 素子]

There was mention earlier that practically every topic involves a post asking what SMF version and mods. Why not make (and use) a mod that requires entry of the SMF version and mods? Or at least, new topics are partly pre-filled with a template asking for the needed information?

Requiring a fill-out of the version was a required thing back when I first joined. Most people just selected the first option in the drop-down so they could post. It didn't work then and it won't work now as SMF has gotten even more use by people with very little in the way of knowledge. It would be awesome if it did work, but that's just not the case.

[MrPhil]

If the lazy slobs always pick the first available selection, don't use a selection drop down! Give a text entry field where they cannot proceed unless they type in a legitimate version number. Be sure to handle various RC and Beta levels with varying capitalization and ignore spaces.

[Kindred]

really?

I agree that the boards might need re-arranging... but on the input -- as we said, it's not worth it.

on the other hand, announcements, site comments and feedback are (very properly) at the top of the list because they are important for users to read. Moving them down would be a disservice to the users who come to the site looking for information. So, support goes under these....   but wait - laxy users just pick the first board to post in...   which means that the problem continues.

The problem is not actually the layout (although moving support up may help some) the problem is that people are lazy and just post in the first place they see...   the solution  -- well, there really isn't one, unfortunately.

[MrPhil]

Yes, there is a solution. You put the boards they most likely should post in up at the top. Only boards that the common rabble are locked out of can come before. That's what can be done. Site comments and feedback are not exactly critical, and should come further down. News and announcements are writable only by a select few, and can come up top.

You must design an interface or page layout keeping in mind that most people are incredibly lazy, and will dump their load in the first place they see, rather than looking down the page for a better place. They will also pick the first element in a selection list just to get it out of the way. Members who insist on doing that, even after being reminded not to, should be banned.

[Kindred]

well, I disagree with you.

[Arantor]

If the lazy slobs always pick the first available selection, don't use a selection drop down! Give a text entry field where they cannot proceed unless they type in a legitimate version number. Be sure to handle various RC and Beta levels with varying capitalization and ignore spaces.

Considering how often people get things wrong (2.0.2 is often mashed as 2.2 for example) that's actually going to cause way more frustration than there currently is.

And while I'm as keen as anyone to get people to post in the right place, beating them over the head isn't going to help them or anyone else.